The foreign languages program is designed to teach a command of a foreign language, to teach students to analyze language and literature, and to make students aware of the heritage of another culture. Students may earn either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree; the degree programs prepare students to become language teachers or to work in business or government.

All majors in modern foreign languages are required to show satisfactory participation in an intensive immersion experience in the language of their major. This may be in the form of a study abroad program, a service project, or intensive upper-level language instruction in the United States. In all cases, this experience may not be less than four calendar weeks and must be approved by the department prior to departure. Radford offers a summer study program abroad in China, France, Mexico and Spain, and a semester or year’s study in China, Germany, Spain, Mexico and France.

Descriptions of the majors and minors within the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures are listed below. Visit the Undergraduate Catalog for more information on required courses.

Foreign Languages Major

Students pursuing a Foreign Languages major choose the Modern Foreign Languages Concentration. Majors must choose one of the following:

30 semester hours with at least 24 hours above the intermediate level of French, which must include FREN 361 or FREN 362, and at least one course on the 400 level; or

30 semester hours with at least 24 hours above the intermediate level of German, which must include at least one course on the 400 level; or

30 semester hours with at least 24 hours above the intermediate level of Spanish, which must include SPAN 320 and at least two courses on the 400 level.

B.A. Requirements
Foreign Language majors fulfill all language requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Foreign Language majors in the Bachelor of Arts program must also complete either a minor or a second major.

B.S. Requirements
For the Bachelor of Science degree, eight hours in education toward the endorsement in secondary education are required.

Foreign Languages Minor

A student seeking a minor in Foreign Languages must complete 18 semester hours in a specific language
with at least one course on the 300 or 400 level. Latin minors may include CLSS 110. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required.

Intercultural Studies Minor

Students who desire to complement their foreign language skills with a cultural focus may obtain an Intercultural Studies Minor. A student seeking a minor in Intercultural Studies must complete 21 semester hours, which must include Understanding Cultures (SOCY 121) and at least one course in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

No more than nine hours or three courses from the same department can be applied to the minor. No more than six hours in the Intercultural Studies Minor can be also used to meet either Core Curriculum requirements or requirements for a major or another minor program. Three hours must be in 300- and 400-level courses.

Students must choose one of three fields of specialization:

Classics

Latin America

Western Europe

The program of all Intercultural Studies minors must be approved by the Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Elective courses also must relate to the field of specialization.